Finding Peace in the Leaf

Manufacturer Spotlight – La Flor Dominicana

La Flor Dominicana is a brand that has really gained in popularity over the last few years. It is the child of Litto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo-Gomez who have poured the hearts into creating one of the most diverse brands out there. I love the brand as there is a cigar for every mood. From the mild to the very full-bodied the Gomez’ have put together quite an amazing portfolio.

Below is an excerpt from an article on the two from Cigar Aficionado:

La Flor Dominicana burst on the scene in the middle of the 1990s cigar boom. Known first as Los Libertadores, the brand was met with the same skepticism that most of the other new brands encountered, both in the marketplace and among industry old-timers. But something changed very quickly.

The attitudes of the owners, the husband-and-wife team of Litto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo-Gomez, were clear from the start: they wanted to learn about the business and about cigars. Instead of copying the behavior of some of the newcomers, which might charitably be called arrogant, Gomez and Lorenzo-Gomez buckled down, spending time with some of the wisest people in the cigar business. They moved carefully, growing slowly and methodically as they acquired more expertise, better tobacco inventories and, finally, their own factory.

Senor Litto Gomez

Recently the brand has undergone a face lift. The name on the bands has been shortened to LFD with a darker red background. Below is a list of the regular lines, special sizes and limited editions from Litto and Ines.

La Flor Dominicana Premium Line – This is the flagship of the LFD brand, appearing in 1994. The Premium Line added the tag “Premium Line” a few years back. Prior to that it was just the regular line.

LFD Premium Line – available in 5 sizes with a Connecticut Shade wrapper. This is the mildest in the in the brand.

LFD Double Ligero Oscuro – available in two sizes (the A and the Especiales) with an Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro wrapper.

LFD Double Ligero Lancero – these super hard to find cigars are available in either a Ecuadorian Sumatran or Ecuadorian Sumatran Oscuro wrapper. There is also a rarer Cameroon wrapped Lancero, and it is fantastic!

LFD Double Ligero Lancero

LFD Double Ligero The Hammer – this special box=pressed toro is only available at Holt’s with an Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper.

LG Diez Small Batch No. 2 – The wrapper is Sumatra Seed grown in the Dominican Republic. Litto personally goes over the selection process and picks only the best-of-the-best tobaccos for his Small Batch cigars. The new version’s production is at 30,000 cigars coming in cabinets of 105. That means about 285 boxes available world wide. This might be one of the most stomach-turning cigars I have ever smoked!

La Flor Dominicana Limited Editions – plenty of cool LEs from Litto!

Face-Off – one of my all time favorite concept cigars. This was a little bet between Litto and Christian Eiroa of Camacho cigars to see if the other could make a better cigars from his competitors tobacco. Each man was sent the other enough tobacco to make 50,000 cigars. Each mixed in a bit of his own leaf to make a new version of the others brand, resulting in a Camacho by Litto Gomez and a La Flor Dominicana by Eiroa. There will be one size, 5 3/4 inches long by 50 ring gauge. These cigars were awesome and got even better with age. The Camacho by Litto was way better than Christian’s La Flor. Good luck finding one.

LFD El Museo – a special LE charity cigar w/ an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. A wonderful, if not pricy cigar.

LFD Limitado I – not sure this even existed, I cannot find reference to it anywhere.

LFD Limitado II – available in three sizes with an Ecuadorian Sumatran Oscuro wrapper.

Limitado II

LFD Limitado III – this cigar was available in 2008 with a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.

Limitado III

LFD Limitado IV – for 2009 this will feature a Nicaraguan wrapper.

LFD Salamone – this cigar has so much potential it’s crazy. Not very cheap but features an aged Habano-seed wrapper.

LFD Salamone

LFD Los Perfectos Sampler – in 2008, the special release sampler hit stores and featured a special shaped perfect in the Ligero, Double Ligero and Coronado lines. It also included 2 prototype cigars, the details of the blend are top secret. I have smoked the prototype and its one of Litto’s best blends ever!

The Cheroot – a special release, once available only from Litto himself, you can now find these at Empire Cigars in Raleigh, NC. This tiny rustic cigar is ALL ligero. From Litto’s farm. Buckle up, Buttercup.